BARTON — Three representatives of First Wind, the company that plans to start work on the Sheffield wind farm this summer, argued Monday night that it has done everything reasonably possible to minimize the project’s impact on Barton Village.
The village trustees and a handful of residents thought First Wind could do a great deal more. Among their suggestions: a $1-million bond to cover any long-term damage to village roads or water and sewer lines; and some refurbished ball fields as a token of First Wind’s appreciation.
Neither suggestion was welcomed by the company representatives, but neither was turned down flat.
When the project was first put before the state Public Service Board (PSB) for approval, access to the hills of Sheffield was to be through the center of Barton Village from Interstate 91 and up Duck Pond Road. Barton Town attorney William May argued that there are other ways to the site, and First Wind should be compelled to use them.
Monday night the project’s environmental coordinator, Josh Bagnato, said Barton has won some concessions from the company.
Under the transportation plan already approved by the PSB, he said, neither the pieces of the wind towers themselves nor the necessary loads of gravel, concrete and other materials will have to negotiate the tight turn in the center of the village.
The biggest and heaviest pieces, on 132 trucks, will leave the interstate at exit 24 in Lyndon, approach Barton from the south on Route 5, and head up Duck Pond Road without entering the village center.
All the construction materials will be routed to the site from the other end of Duck Pond Road, which meets Route 122 in Sheffield. The big, highly specialized trucks that bring the wind tower pieces up Duck Pond Road will also exit via Sheffield, Mr. Bagnato said.
He said the company’s hopes of taking the entire project through Sheffield were frustrated after a representative of one of the companies that might transport the biggest pieces looked at the large culverts, known locally as “the tubes,” that carry New Duck Pond Road under the interstate. The tubes, a necessary part of the Sheffield route, are avoided by the Barton route.
“We really tried hard to make it come through the tubes,” Mr. Bagnato said. But even though the tubes are just big enough for the loads to squeeze through, he said, the contractor said the tolerances were too small. “There was a potential of getting a load hung up in the tubes,” Mr. Bagnato said, “the worst scenario you could have.”
Under the plan, Barton will briefly play host to the pieces of 16 wind turbines, the crane that will erect them, and a transformer. Each of the turbines will arrive in eight pieces — four lengths of tower and four blades. The blades are the lightest but longest pieces, each almost 173 feet long, counting the truck.
Among the heaviest pieces are the 16 tower bases, which weigh just under 200,000 pounds. They are among the 83 loads that will be towed up Duck Pond Road’s steep 10 percent to 12 percent grades by an “assist vehicle,” a heavy tractor with four axles of its own.
The massive loads will be spread over as many as 13 axles per truck, Mr. Bagnato said, reducing the weight per axle to no more than 20,000 pounds.
Since that weight is common to local dump trucks and cement trucks, the company representatives said, the trustees should have no trouble issuing the necessary permits for overweight vehicles.
The trustees didn’t see it that way. Led by Ellis Merchant, they subjected the trio to a lengthy cross-examination that reflected considerable skepticism. Mr. Merchant was hard to convince that such massive vehicles wouldn’t do serious, long-term damage to the short stretches of Route 5 and Duck Pond Road that lie inside the village limits.
“You guys are proposing to move a lot of loads in a short time,” Mr. Merchant said. “That would be a real big concern of mine.”
Much of the hard bargaining came from former trustee John Ullrich, who left the board in March.
“I would strongly urge a $1-million bond,” he said, to cover any damages that turn up after the project is complete.
David Ertz, director of project management for First Wind, said the company has already agreed, not only to keep the paved village portion of Duck Pond Road patched up during the project, but also to return in 2010 and repave that section of road.
He said the company has purchased a small lot at the junction of Route 5 and Duck Pond Road to give the big trucks room to turn, and to provide a place where the assist vehicle can hook on.
While big loads are on Duck Pond Road, the visitors said, flagmen would be posted at the corner to let drivers know what was ahead. There will be pull-outs along Duck Pond Road so vehicles can pass the big loads, they added.
But when asked, Village Supervisor Brian Hanson said he didn’t think a firetruck could get past one of the big loads. Mr. Hanson lives on Duck Pond Road, and last week presented a petition to the Barton Selectmen signed by residents who don’t want the town to permit the project to use its roads.
Noting that Sheffield will be well paid by First Wind for hosting the project, Mr. Ullrich asked if there could be “any consideration” for Barton. He suggested that the company fix up the village’s ball fields.
First Wind Development Manager David Velez said the money for Sheffield will be paid in lieu of property taxes. The company can’t afford to pay every town its towers pass through on their way from Cedar Rapids to Sheffield, Mr. Velez added.
“I’m hoping you don’t approve the project to begin with,” JoAnn Stefanski told the trustees. “Barton is definitely getting the short end of the stick here.”
“If the village turns down your request, will you leave without a lawsuit or a threat?” Ms. Stefanski asked the First Wind representatives. “If the village does not approve, does that mean you cannot do the project?”
Mr. Velez said that was a question for the company’s lawyer to answer.
In an April 14 letter to Mr. May, First Wind attorney Andrew Raubvogel argued that, in approving the transportation plan in January, the PSB had the last word.
Under Vermont statute and case law, Mr. Raubvogel wrote, “the Public Service Board’s authority over statewide generation and transmission projects…preempts municipal authority to issue conflicting orders or permits covering the same project.”
Trustee Scott Wright said he agreed with the idea that “maybe a small bond” would serve to guarantee the company’s promise to fix any damage First Wind does to the village. “I have no issue with you using the road,” Mr. Wright said, “but I agree with the bond thing.”
Bob Ferlazo, chairman of the trustees, asked the company to submit a revised request for the permits it needs.
“If a gesture of goodwill of fixing the ball field is put in,” Mr. Merchant said, “I’m sure no one would rip it out.”
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